1. Field of the Invention
This invention relates to a tape cassette adapter and more particularly to a tape casette adapter which is useful for a tape recording and/or reproducing apparatus such as an audio tape recorder and a video tape recorder. Still more particularly, the present invention relates to a tape cassette adapter which is adaptable for standard size magnetic tape cassette apparatuses and is available for a small size magnetic tape cassette having a small reel length, a so-called compact tape cassette.
2. Description of the Prior Art
It is well known that there are standard size magnetic tape cassette apparatuses which are adaptable to the standard size tape cassette having a long length tape for long recording and reproducing, and that there are small size magnetic tape cassette apparatuses which are adaptable to compact tape cassettes having a short length tape. The latter is useful for out-door recording because of its small size and light weight. The tape widths for the compact tape cassette and the standard size tape cassette are the same. As video tape recorders are now widespread among the general public, it is required that information recorded in the compact tape cassettes be reproduced with standard size magnetic tape apparatuses such as video tape recorders. But conventional magnetic tape apparatuses are not applicable for such a purpose, because the distance between reel drive shafts of the standard size magnetic tape cassette apparatus is not equal to that of compact cassettes.
A tape cassette adapter has been developed for using compact tape cassettes on standard size magnetic tape cassette apparatuses. Concerning standard size magnetic tape cassette apparatuses, the reel position deviates from a predetermined position because of errors such as machining or assembly errors, whereas the position of the standard size magnetic tape cassette reel is designed to be free so that it can be mounted on the standard size magnetic tape apparatus. Conventional tape cassette adapters do not have a mechanism for absorption of this kind of error. Because the distance between the two reel turntables of the standard size magnetic tape apparatus is not precise, drive motion in the tape cassette adapter for rotating the reels of compact tape cassettes is not smooth.